DHS Newsletter 23 October #11 by Darfield High School

ISSUE 11

FRIDAY 23 OCTOBER

2015

Ethan: MTB Champion Page 5

Spring Challenge Win Page 7

Lexi for Youth in Selwyn Page 9

Tim Logan: EUCYS Page 11

Maia’s a Top Talent Page 18

Celebrating Students’ Achievements!

THANK

YOU FOR YOUR HELP VOLUNTEERS DO NOT

NECESSARILY HAVE THE TIME; THEY HAVE

THE HEART On Thursday 24 September, we held our annual thank you evening for our wonderful group of volunteers. What a lovely way to round off the year, acknowledging the group of supporters who ably give of their time and skills to help the school. Both the Principal, James Morris, and the Board Chair, Sue Robinson, spoke of the growth and need for these (in)valuable individuals—this has been another very busy year and, without the help of the PTSA members, the Ex-Student’s Association, the Reader Writer group, parent helpers, coaches, Rural College supporters, local employers and community members etc, it would be all the more diﬃcult to achieve the things we do. Fantastic food provided by our very own wonderful Sarah Waters went down a treat and a great night was had by all.

23 October 2015

These students receive a certificate and a $10 voucher

AL’S AWAR NCIP DS I R P

Principal’s Comments Emily Cullen Teresa Barnhill Jessica Bassett Lucas de Burger Carwyn Chaffey Kristanna Bonner

DHS DISPATCH welcomes any news or photographs you have from events our students have attended outside of school. We love to hear about and share successes and interesting stories. Please email: sheryl@darfield.school.nz Black and white paper copies are available from reception or Student Administration. Colour and back copies can be ordered by emailing the above address. Please enquire for cost. Advertising: If you would like to advertise in our newsletter, please email for more information. 7 McLaughlins Road PO Box 5 Darfield 7541 New Zealand admin@darfield.school.nz www.darfield.school.nz Phone: +64 3 318 8411 Fax: +64 3 318 8543 Copyright: You are welcome to reproduce material from the newsletter after gaining permission from the school. All reproduced material must be appropriately acknowledged.

A reminder for our students in the leadup to the NCEA exams that commence in a few weeks time; if you want to be a successful sportsperson you need to practise your sport regularly, and very regularly before big games. If you want to be a successful musician, you need to practise with your instrument regularly, and very regularly before important performances; if you want to be successful with academic studies, you need to practise answering questions regularly, and very regularly before exams. Don’t procrastinate; if you don’t know what or how to study, then see your teacher. Your teachers are available for support, tutoring and advice throughout the exam period. Contact them to arrange this help, but don’t leave it til the last minute. House Tabloid Sports were held on Thursday afternoon. It is not often that we come together as a whole school, so it is good to be able to do so in such a positive way. The purpose of the event is to enable fun, energetic competition for the final major House event of the year. The enthusiasm of the participants helps to fuel the enthusiasm of the organisers for a big set-up and a big tidy-up. Student leadership is much in evidence at both the senior and junior levels in the

Year 10 Enterprise Day Enterprise Day gives Economics students the opportunity to experience the challenges of running a small business. Students choose items they think will sell well, plan the logistics

organisation and encouragement of the House groups. Congratulations to the student leadership team involved in organising the Years 9 and 10 dance that was held at the end of last term. The event was a success with a large crowd attending. It achieved the goal of having a more ‘grown up’ style of dance with special decorations, good food and music. Thank you to the staff and students who supported the organisation and running of the dance. Each year, students may apply for a range of scholarships available exclusively to Darfield High School students. This year, the total value of the pool of scholarships for Senior Prize Giving is around $60,000. The selection panels for these scholarships have commented on the huge challenge of choosing only a few scholarship recipients from such a wide range of talented students. Senior Prizegiving will be held at the Darfield Recreation Centre at 7 pm on 2 December. This celebration now comes after the NCEA exams to allow adequate time for processing of assessments that contribute towards prizes. James Morris

of how to make it work, advertise their product and how much stock they will need, and interact with customers; the bonus is they get to keep any profits after expenses.

This symbol means there is an album on our website relating to this article. Photos may be downloaded for personal use only. There is a download icon at the right of each photo. Issue 11 / DHS Dispatch

SPORTS

patch

2015 South Island Motocross Championships This year, the following boys represented Darfield High School: James Doherty in the 14–16 years 250cc section, Harrison de Rooy in the 14–16 years Farm Bike section and Blake Hubbard in the 11–13 years group.

Volleyball Senior Girls’ Volleyball vs Rangi Ruru: win 2–0 Year 10 Girls’ Volleyball vs Rangiora High School: Loss 1–2

Cricket Years 7 and 8 Cricket: won by 35 runs and now have qualified for the South Island Finals

All the Fun of the

Tabloids! A wonderful day full of colour and competition. Results in the next issue. Find the album in our school gallery

Above: Harrison, Blake and James

On Saturday 19 September, a small group of keen motocross riders left Darfield very early to compete in the above event at the Pleasant Point track just out of Timaru, South Canterbury. The weather was great and the competition challenging, but Darfield High riders were ready.

After three exciting races, our boys can all be proud of their efforts. James won his event, Harrison was 6th and Blake was 2nd! Well done, boys! We had also entered in the Teams event as the Darfield Devils and finished in second place! What a great way to finish off an exciting day out on the bikes! A big thank you to the parents for all their support in transporting the boys to Pleasant Point. Good luck for next year. Karen Armstrong

Canterbury Secondary Schools Duathlon

Isaac Proud and Matt Grigg, left, placed third at the Canterbury Secondary Schools Duathlon Championships held at Ruapuna Racewa in July. Congratulations!

23 October 2015

ETHAN ROSE:

SOUTH ISLAND MTB CHAMPION

Ethan competed at the South Island Secondary School Mountain Bike Champs in Dunedin during the weekend 3–4 October with great results on a weekend controlled by the weather. The first race, and the main one for Ethan, was the Cross Country on Saturday morning. First race of the day was the U15’s, U14's and U13's. Ethan, being in the U13's age group, had to start at the back of the start line with over 30 riders in front of him. From the start, Ethan pushed hard, knowing he didn't want to get held up by slower riders when they got to the single track with limited passing opportunity. By the end of the first lap of five he had moved up to third overall behind two U15 riders, where he stayed all race, closing the gap to 18 seconds to be in second place by the finish. The end result was third overall behind two fast U15's, nearly three minutes in front of the first U14 rider and a big gap of 11.5 minutes from the second-placed U13 rider. Ethan was very happy with his ride, but would have liked to have started alongside the top riders to push for the overall win. Sunday was the Down Hill race in the morning and Super D in the afternoon. With a sunny and windy day, the DH track was running very fast with a couple of good practice runs, apart from a crash right in of mum, making her worry even more and telling him he should slow down. With the wind picking up, it was time for the seeding/ qualifying run. Ethan posted the fastest U13's time by 24 seconds and was loaded back in the bus and taken back up the hill for his race run, standing at the top of the hill by the start line in very strong winds. The race ended up being cancelled due to these winds. The results went by the seeding runs, giving Ethan First U13 by 24 seconds— the result Ethan wanted but not the way he wanted to win, leaving him a little disappointed, knowing he made a couple of mistakes on his last run and knowing he could have gone faster, but understanding safety comes first. As the next race, the Super D, was being run on some of the DH track, that was also cancelled, ending the weekend early, a great shame for the event organisers, Mountain Biking Otago, after all their planning and hard work, but the right call was made. With two wins, Ethan was overall U13's South Island Secondary School MTB Champion 2015.

By Adam Heard Photo: BankingCat Photography Issue 11 / DHS Dispatch

Ethan would like to thank Giant Bicycle NZ and Hub Cycles at Tower Junction for the great deal and set-up of his new XC race bike. If you are looking for a new bike, go see the guys at Hub Cycles and tell them Ethan sent you. And a big thank you to Moffatts Flower Company Ltd at Halswell, Ethan's new main sponsor, whom he's looking forward to working with over the coming years. 5

South Island Secondary Schools’

Smallbore Shooting Championships

Hunter Benbow, Brogan Baldwin, and William Benbow place THIRD! For the second time, the Darfield High School Small Bore Shooting Team has shot at the Secondary Schools Small Bore Nationals—this year hosted by the Newtown Small Bore club in Wellington. Our team, Brogan Baldwin, William Benbow, and I, competed against about 20 school teams from all over the country. With Brogan's scores of 96.3, 94.4, and 95.1; William's of 93.2, 94.2, and 96.4; and mine of 99.2, 97.4 and 94.2, we shot a combined score of 858.24 of the available 900.90 which gave us a third placing. Nelson College placed first and Rangiora High School second. Selected as one of the 12 best shooters from the South Island to make up the South Island team, I shot two more cards, along with the rest of the South Island team, giving a combined score of 1917.67, over the North's 1905.67. After this match, the 12 best of these 24 Inter-Island match participants are selected for the National team, which

then shoot a postal shoot against the UK team. I was also selected for the National team and shot another two cards the following morning—two 95.3s. The New Zealand Team shot an accumulated score of 1925 of the available 2000, and are yet to find out who won the postal shoot. Anyone who didn't make it into the National Team then takes part in the Plate Match on the Sunday morning. Of the eight teams of seven shooters, William and Brogan’s team won, shooting 949, followed very closely by Team Three with 948. The trip was a very useful and enjoyable learning experience, connecting with other shooting teams from around the country, as well as experiencing Wellington roads. Our team is looking forward to the next shooting season and will be ready to compete again next year in Blenheim. Hunter Benbow

Gold For Harry! This winter, I had the opportunity to compete in the New Zealand Junior Freeride Tour (NZJFT). I was competing in the Under 15 category. The first stop was in August at Mt Olympus (my home ski field). The event was held in icy and cold conditions, meaning we had to postpone until the next day. I was lucky to land my second run and take out the win. The second stop was at the start of September and was at The Remarkables in Queenstown. The starting list had a challenging group of good skiers, but I managed to come 3rd, well above my goal of 5th place. The third stop was at the end of September, at Mt Ruapehu in the central North Island; again there was a strong lineup of competitors. The conditions were cold and icy and they postponed the event until the next day. Unfortunately, I struggled with the venue and finding my line and ended up coming 5th. Somehow, however, I managed to win the overall title, scoring myself a pair of skis!

After the Ruapehu event, I headed straight down to Queenstown to finish off the season with the last week of skiing at the NZ Junior Nationals. My main event (Big Mountain) wasn't until the end of the week, giving me time to really focus on my line. The first day of the week, the weather was really bad and all of the events were pushed back a day. Finally the day came, but we were allowed only one run. I decided to stick with my original run and landed it. I was stoked to be awarded a gold medal for the Year 7/8 boys. I had such an epic season and would like to thank the Malvern Community Board and Malvern Lions for supporting me financially, and the DHS teachers for taking us skiing on Wednesdays! Harry Cookson

23 October 2015

Spring Challenge is an all girls adventure race, where teams of three navigate, run, mountain bike, and whitewater raft over a course set in different parts of the South Island and now in the North Island. This year the race was held in Wanaka and a team of Darfield High School students competed very well, managing to win the school section of the threehour race category. Led by Head of Sport, Amanda Schnell, and joined by teammates, Kylie Schnell and Harriet Watson, the team had practised their navigation and map reading skills to make sure they wouldn’t get lost. In the end, their fitness and bike skills made the difference, overtaking the leading

Issue 11 / DHS Dispatch

school team in the final leg of the race to take the top place on the podium. Well done, girls! Next year, Kylie and Harriet will be looking for a new teammate as Amanda will studying at Lincoln University and they are keen to put another school team together for the 2016 race in Nelson. Following a hectic week taking out the overall prize at Darfield’s Got Talent, Maia Adams was also in a Spring Challenge team, enjoying 5th place in the race in Wanaka as well; and well done to the two teachers who participated in the six-hour Spring Challenge: you all did very well.

Above: Maia Adams (middle) with her team, Jesse Fa’ave and Kyla Rayward

By Tony Watson Photos by George Watson

Board of Trustees

Student Representative

St John Superstar:

Kathryn Barnhill and Hanako Wilson represented their Districts very well at the St John Youth South Island Regional Competitions recently. Getting there was a great achievement and attained by gaining the top positions at the District Competitions.

Kathryn Barnhill

Kathryn (Year 12) did exceptionally well, gaining placings in all but one of her sections, which gave her a final awesome placing of runner-up to aggregate. Above: Bailey Campbell

Congratulations to Bailey Campbell, elected to the position of Student Trustee. Bailey takes over from Brock Hatton. Baliey is excited to be the voice of the students and to see what lies ahead in the coming year. The role is as a full member of the Board of Trustees, who brings a student’s perspective to the Board’s discussions and decisions.

No Mistakes Now!

She had to work hard for this title, competing in two First Aid tests— treating someone who had fallen and hit their head and also a person having an asthma attack. There was a Healthcare section where Kathryn had to show how good her caregiving skills were; Drill tests involving marching; and a written communication exam. Everyone was given a topic and then had to prepare a presentation for the audience. Kathryn’s was how you would explain to a group of children how to check for injuries.

Congratulations to Jane Huggins, our School and BOT Secretary, who has completed a Certificate in Professional Editing and Proofreading with High Distinction.

Year 9 Speeches

1st:

Maddie Beardsmore

2nd:

Tiaan Johns

3rd:

Lucy Glassey

a large chunk of her time but, with a medical career in her horizons, she is very dedicated.

Kathryn has been involved with the Youth Section of St John here in Darfield since it began three years ago and has constantly shown how good she is in this role. Meeting every Wednesday, with weekend camps, this takes up

Because of her success at the Regionals, she has now been chosen to be one of four to compete next April in a National squad in Auckland. Well done, Kathryn— this is a great achievement!

Hungry Hippos

Students here at DHS are really lucky to have such a fun, supportive and wonderful 24/7 team of youth workers who go out of their way to be a part of student life. During the last week of Term Three, everyone was treated to hot chocolates from the coffee cart and, down on the turf, Hungry Hippos was set up for those with a competitive streak. Hannah and Sage kept control as teams of four gobbled up balls with buckets and worked out the best way of controlling trolleys. Poiema helped Sarah and Bailey with hundreds of hot chocolates—much appreciated on one of Spring’s cooler days.

24/7 Bring fun at the end of the term

Above: Jane Huggins

Above: Kathrym Barnhill

Around School

23 October 2015

Australian Mathematics Competition Michelle Bruce achieved very good results in the recently held Australian Mathematics Competition. Gaining top place for our school, she was presented with a certificate, Best in School, last Friday at a ceremony held at Christ’s College. Well done to those students who took part in the Australian Mathematics Competition; this is a voluntary competition and, like the ICAS competitions, gives teachers and students an idea of how Darfield are doing nationally.

ICAS Competitions Results are now back from more ICAS competitions held during Term Three. These competitions are developed for students in Years 3–13 and are sat annually. Participation is voluntary and each test is designed to assess students’ academic ability nationally. Once again, our students have received some outstanding results: ENGLISH Credit Emily Waters, Michael Bruce-Sheppard, Kieran McKay, Courtney Newell, and Tom Wilson Distinction Jessica Bassett, Hanako Wilson, and Natasha Young High Distinction Kate Morris

RESULTS: Credit Tom Wilson, Emma Kellock, Courtney Newell, Hanako Wilson, Kate Morris, Georgia Allison, Jess Sutherland, Hayley Murray, Stefanie McKenzie, Annabelle Jones, Katherine Hadler, and Georgie Hamilton High Distinction Michelle Bruce Right: Michelle with her certificate presented by Adj Prof Mike Clapper, Executive Director, Australian Mathematics Trust.

WRITING Participation Tom Wilson and Tamzin Brunton Distinction Michelle Bruce, Kate Morris, and Hanako Wilson MATHEMATICS Participation Jessica Bassett, Isaac Earl, Michael BruceSheppard, and Tom Wilson

SCIENCE Once again, George Watson has gained a High Distinction in Science, and the overall top place in New Zealand, so he will be attending an awards ceremony in Auckland to be presented with his medal.

Credit Katherine Hadler, Kieran McKay, and Kate Morris, and Hanako Wilson Merit Niamh Guy Distinction Michelle Bruce, Courtney Newell, and Natasha Young

Above: George at last year’s ICAS ceremony with Mr Morris

Lexi Sutherland Chosen to be a 2016 Youth MP Congratulations to Lexi Sutherland, one of two Selwyn students chosen to represent the youth of Selwyn at Youth Parliament in 2016. Lexi was chosen by Rt Hon David Carter, Speaker of the House, to be the Youth Speaker. After a five-minute presentation on local and national issues, then questions from the panel, (Hon Amy Adams, Hon David Carter and Police Sergeant, Dan Harker), the two students were chosen. “I was very impressed with all of the finalists and would have been proud to have any one of them as my representative,” Ms Adams said. Issue 11 / DHS Dispatch

Mr Carter stated that he was also impressed by how well each finalist had delivered their presentation. “I have been involved in the selection of eight Youth MPs now during my time in Parliament, and the calibre of applicants just keeps improving,” Mr Carter said. Lexi Sutherland and Tim Marshall, from Broadfield, will each hold the title of Youth MP from 25 January to 25 July 2016. They are expected to engage with the youth community in Selwyn during this time so that they can represent them effectively at the Youth Parliament in July. https://amyadams.national.org.nz/news

Above: Rt Hon David Carter with Youth MP Lexi Sutherland

Our Teacher-Librarian, Helen Duckworth, Receives Award of Merit Helen has a passion for teaching and learning and transfers this passion to all of us. These excerpts, from some of the staff testimonials in support of our nomination, show the high regard Helen's colleagues have for her:

During the holidays, Helen Duckworth and I, along with at least 200 other librarians, attended the SLANZA (School Librarians Association of New Zealand-Aotearoa) conference at St Andrew's College. There were many excellent speakers from all over NZ and Australia and we both found it a highly educational and inspiring three days. At the conference, Helen was very surprised to be presented with an Award of Merit for Information Technology. My colleague, Trudy McKay, and I had secretly nominated her for this welldeserved award. Helen is very modest, but we know that she works tirelessly to support our students and staff in keeping up with the constant changes in the information landscape. Helen has a passion for teaching and learning and transfers this passion to all of us. She keeps our information technology and research skills current by constantly coming up with new ideas to be implemented in the library.

Loud Shirt Day

On Friday 18 September, the Year 7 and 8s held a Loud Shirt Day to raise money for deaf children to get a cochlear implant. Together, we raised $73 by competing in the Loud Shirt Day catwalk and entering the loud shirt day colouring in competition. All the contestants in the catwalk received a chocolate bar for participating and winners received certificates. Thank you to all of those who competed in the dress-up and colouring-in competition—you have helped make an amazing difference to a deaf child’s life.

“Helen is a treasure. Her dedication has been an immense asset in helping my students with research work in the library. Her impact on their library skills has been huge and it has given them the knowledge and understanding to feel confident when asked to research on their own.” Mrs Nethercott

hours looking for resources, websites and books to help the students and teachers in our school. Helen’s passion and enthusiasm are admirable.” Mrs Cartman “Helen has worked tirelessly to source resources for my Year. 12 AS 91106, sourcing appropriate material for my Year. 11 Literacy classes, high interest material for my Year 10 and research materials for all levels.” Mrs Stark

“Helen works tirelessly to support our “Helen will often go above and beyond students in their research, creating her day to day duties to offer support and innovative and interesting resources to guidance. Her knowledge of using library support their learning of the research resources is second to none and this has process. She is energetic and enthusiastic helped my Year 8 students immensely this in her presentation of materials to students term, especially on their research topic.” and really works hard to support students Mr Hoy and teachers to get the most out of the resources available.” “Helen has worked hard with me in helping Mrs Ferguson-Brown streamline the research process to make it clear for Years 7–10 Social Studies students “Helen has shown genuine leadership how to research and how to use the library within the school community by effectively. She has been regularly on hand promoting effective research skills leading to help me and my senior History students to authentic research by our students. find obscure sources, from the National Darfield High School is lucky to have her Library and elsewhere online, to add depth and I unreservedly endorse her nomination to their research. Helen has also set up a for an Award of Merit.” number of online live binders which have Mr Baars been invaluable for Research tasks and “Helen is an enthusiastic and passionate internals for all students.” teacher and librarian who provides a Mrs Turner. supportive environment for all students. Jane Duncan, Librarian She has supported me and other teachers many times in class. Helen spends many

Most Original Outfit: Leah HamiltonCross and Scarlett Banks Loudest Shirt: Ryan Neal Best Dressed Boy: George McIntosh Best Dressed Girl: Hayley Murray, Hannah Booth and Sophie Palmer. The winner of the Year 7 colouring competition was Becky Bruce, 7HB, and the winner of the Year 8 colouring competition was Roz Doherty, 8SE. Scarlett Banks and Leah Hamilton Cross

23 October 2015

And Tim’s Experience… I recently returned from Milan, Italy, where I was attending the 2015 European Union Contest for Young Scientists (EUCYS). This was a fiveday long international competition for students who have won first prize, or other high distinctions, at their country's national science fair. There were 169 students from 37 countries, and in total there were 103 projects in the contest. I had by far travelled the longest way and was the only person from the Southern Hemisphere. In total, there were 14 hours of judging. However, we also visited Bergamo Alta, an ancient town with Roman ruins and many buildings from the 13th and 14th century. We travelled to an art museum with replicas of Da Vinci's work, and even met with Italian astronauts. On our final evening, there was a boat cruise on Lake Maggiore, near the border of Switzerland.

Tim Logan in Italy: European Young Scientist Award Following his success last year, Timothy Logan, Year 13, is proud to have won third place, representing New Zealand at the prestigious European Union Young Scientist Competition (EUCYS) in Milan, Italy.

beforehand, Tim arrived with his display material and, after setting up, he was able to meet some of the others there. The eight judges met to discuss his material with him and ask him questions over the days he was there.

With much time spent researching and putting together his project, To Graze Or Not To Graze, Tim has gained a name for himself in the science world, winning the Supreme Award at Realise the Dream and the Prime Minister’s Future Scientist prize. Now, with this amazing achievement in a world-wide competition with well over 100 entrants, Tim’s research is of great importance and is highly regarded.

Tim soon realised he was the only one from New Zealand—other countries had some teams and up to three presentations—so he was very surprised and happy when his country was announced in third place at the presentation ceremony.

Over a span of three years, Tim has been studying native plants in Canterbury, recording how grazing affects them, whether there is a greater risk of extinction, and establishing whether stock grazing can work in conjunction with ecological conservation. Tim said there were some outstanding projects presented at the competition in Milan and he was most impressed with what he saw, plus the huge talent of other students. After sending off all his material for the judges to read Issue 11 / DHS Dispatch

I had an amazing time at EUCYS. I met people from all over Europe and the world, including Latvia, Estonia, England, Ireland, Italy, Switzerland, Bulgaria, South Korea, and USA. My room mate was from Ukraine, and as his project involved watermelons, I even got to try some which he grew himself in Kiev! I am incredibly grateful to the Royal Society of New Zealand for sponsoring my trip. I had never been to Europe before, and it is definitely an experience I will never forget.

Tim was lucky that his family was able to accompany him on this trip and took the opportunity to visit Switzerland and Greece either side of the competition in Milan. Exams are next on Tim’s list, but we know that whatever Tim does, he will do it well!

Photo (left to right): European Commission 3rd prize: Peter Dröll, European Commission, Timothy Logan (New Zealand), Dr Lina Tomasella, President of judging jury; Mario Monti (Prime Minister of Italy from 2011–2013)

www.royalsociety.org.nz/ 11

World Vision Scholarship Day The day started off with me waiting at the bus bay at 7.50 am in the morning. At around 8.00 am, the school van came with Mrs Watson ready to pick us up. We hopped in and made our way to Majestic Church. We arrived to Brock welcoming us at the door, and we received our name tags and a piece of paper with questions on them. All we had to do was go around asking strangers from other schools the questions (things like: find a name of: someone born in October; with two

brothers; or favourite colour is blue). Once everyone was finished, we took our seats and a lady greeted all of us and talked about Bangladesh and World Vision, which was very interesting. We then played a game where we would have to act like kids and people living in poverty. We had to eat and drink by the end of the session and, in order to buy that, you had to work at the factory and get paid and then buy the water and food. You could also get educated at school for three minutes and get twice the amount of money at the factory. There were many setbacks along the way, like being taken to jail, or running out of time. It was quite realistic, but it was nothing compared to what Bangladesh and other countries go through. Afterwards, we did other group activities and had morning tea and lunch and more activities, and then finished off the day with ‘I have learnt, therefore I will...’ , where everyone finishes the sentence in their own way. Certificates were presented to each school who had gained a place on Scholarship Day. After a busy and full day, it was time to head back to Darfield.

Above: Casey, Reuben, Crystal, and Harry with the award presented to the school

“I was really privileged to be able to participate in the World Vision leadership day In the future, I would really tell you to take the opportunity. Something I said at the Leadership Day was, no matter what the size or age, YOU can make a change, so don’t think your voice can’t be heard. Take a stand and be proud, because you can make a difference!” Crystal Van Duinen

Harry Williamson

23 October 2015

Cyber Safety Comic: Privacy protection comic-strip

by 15kellyr (Ria)

Year 7 DTG have been studying information about How to keep Cyber Safe. As part of the course, the students planned and created a comic strip depicting a potential Cyber Safety issue. Here is what Ria Kelly 7CS had to say:

ÂŠ 2015 PIXTON.COM.lblakemore,7CS_DTG, Cyber Safety Comic, September 17, 2015 Issue 11 / DHS Dispatch

Hi, my name is Ria and I have been working on this project for a while. I tried to make my comic strip funny and cool, and I wanted to put something about me in it. So the two main characters are cats. Summary: The comic strip is about a cat called Hermit who is tricked into giving his mother's pin number to an unknown user. After finding he'd been scammed, he gets advice from a friend and tells his mother. Then Mom saves the day. 13

A Night Under The

Big Top By Katie Sharp, Photography by Willia m Gross

23 October 2015

With a committee of nine Year 10s and four Year 13s, the Pre Formal Committee was pretty big, and there were plenty of ideas floating around. The date was booked, the food list sorted, DJ organised, and the tickets designed. Now came the ticket sales! We sold over 100 ticketsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;these numbers made it a very successful night. On Friday 18 September, the committee was busy decorating the hall and getting everything organised. The theme was A Night Under the Big Top, so decorations were based around the red and white of a carnival. We even had some committed seniors dressed as numerous different animals, ringmasters, and even some circus freaks! Although the fire alarm rudely interrupted our dancing, the night was a lot of fun. Thank you to everyone who helped to make the Pre Formal such a big success, and special thanks to Mr Adams, Amanda Schnell, Emma Forbes and Ciara Rayne, who helped us get everything so organised! Also a big thanks to Will Gross for taking the great group photos!

Issue 11 / DHS Dispatch

Keep New Zealand Beautiful

Darfield Community Cleanup

Everybody On the last day of Term 3, the Year 7 and 8 Syndicate took part in a Keep New Zealand Beautiful Week event, The Darfield Community Clean Up. We split up into our Houses, and then split into groups of approximately 10 people, armed with rubbish bags, and attempted to cleanup Darfield. We walked around the main streets, DHS, and the domain, and collected as much rubbish as we could in one hour. We found beer bottles, cigarette packets, a shoe, and lots of plastic, cardboard and paper.

We collected a lot of rubbish from around Darfield, and we ended up with an enormous pile of rubbish and recycling.

Fries!

We did a fantastic job and we were even spotted by Ian Dampier from the Darfield Community Patrol Committee, who thanked us for doing a great job collecting rubbish in our community! By picking up your rubbish, you can keep the environment clean, and keep yourself clean and healthy. Lily and Matt, 7HB

The Malvern Lions have been back recently to hold their famous Lions Fries Days here at the school. This Malvern Lions fundraiser is held to help pay for our Young Achieversâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Big Day Out. So thank you for your support. Who can resist the smell of fries and hotdogs?

Enjoy your Labour Weekend break!

www.NCEAPal.co.nz

Friday 6 November: NCEA Exams and NZ Scholarships begin and it is the last day for Seniors. We wish seniors well with their study and up-coming exams. 16

23 October 2015

Leadership Camp On Sunday 20 September, a group of 28 Year 12 students and three teachers took part in a Leadership Camp, which would help decide the Prefects and Head roles for 2016. We all rose at an early hour, expecting to leave at 9.00 am sharp for Craigieburn Lodge, our home for the next two days. Much to our surprise, we were not expected at the Lodge until after 12, so began our day with a seminar from Mr Adams, Poi and Sage, teaching us what they felt was important for a leader. Running behind schedule, we were quickly sorted into vehicles and set off on our exciting new adventure. After an hour’s drive, we finally arrived at the Lodge, where we each settled in to our bunkrooms before having lunch. After this, the activities began. Over the course of the two days, we took part in about 13 activities, each teaching us about leadership skills, such as co-operation, communication, and moral courage. The activities also allowed us to work alongside people we would not normally work with, creating and strengthening new relationships amongst the students. An example would be the Masterchef, where the camp was split into two groups, one group on dinner duty and the second on breakfast. As well as being the source of the meals on the camp, it also allowed us to contribute our knowledge and work together to make Spaghetti Bolognese for dinner, pancakes for breakfast, and a

dessert. We were judged by the teachers on our efforts, though we await the results to this day. A highlight of this camp for me was the Camp Talent Show, where we had fifteen minutes to plan a performance before presenting it. There was a variety of interesting acts, from musical numbers, to an attempted rap battle, to a very questionable recipe for the perfect prefect. On the second day of the camp, students who were applying for Head roles gave speeches on why they would be suitable for the positions. This may have been the most stressful part of the camp, especially with the news that our very own principal would be joining us for them, but it gave each and every one of us a new understanding of our peers. Over half the camp had applied for Head roles, so there was a selection of different speeches available for our listening— from humorous, to metaphorical, to the straight-up “This is why I should be in this position”. We were able to see viewpoints each student held, what qualities they had that would make them a good leader and, most importantly, how they intended to make a difference at Darfield High School. I was truly honoured to be part of such an amazing group of people selected for the Leadership Camp, and it was an experience I will never forget. On behalf of the students selected for the

Year 10 Prefects These students will fill the roles that the Prefects roles once the Seniors depart. They have gone through an application process and staff feedback. Students are already meeting weekly to prepare for their responsibilities. Year 10 Prefects for the last five weeks of 2015 are: Cameron Brunton Adriana Cornelissen Bronte Thomas Caleb Banks Courtney Newell Elyse Kerr Emma Kellock Esther Blain George Brown George Gibb Harry Bampton Issue 11 / DHS Dispatch

Hunter Benbow Imogen Groom Jacob Spence Jayden Hann Jodie Rollings Katie Sharp McKenzie Alfeld Natasha Young Niamh Rayne Olivia Lemon Toni Forsythe-Walton

camp, I would like to thank Mr Adams, Ms Blakemore, and Mrs Wilson for accompanying us and making this camp possible, as well as the school for giving us the opportunity to be leaders. Jasmine Nash

Selection of Prefects, 2016 The following have been selected for prefectship in 2016. After a lengthy process, that included application, interview, staff and student feedback, and a leadership camp, the following students have been selected to be Prefects in 2016. Head Student roles will be announced at Senior Prizegiving on 2 December. Caitlin Thistoll Kellen Patfield Lilian Stott Alexis Sutherland Bailey Campbell Brittany Muiznieks Chloe Fraser Courtney Townsend Edward Searle Ellen Walters Emily de Rooy

Emma Grigg Grace Lemon Jasmine Nash Kathryn Barnhill Kristen BlaberHunt Luke McKay Maddie Tasker Mariah Glasson Michael Ridgen Olivia Shinn Samara Crosby Selina Dixon

Around School

Students enjoying Enterprise Day. Congratulations! You ladies have won an Around School prize. See Mrs Watson on Tuesday. 17

DARFIELD’S

GOT

Darfield High’s annual quest for great talent was held during the last week of Term Three. With many heats held over the weeks leading up to the grand finale, it was clear to see that the audience was in for a treat. Ms Gallacher and Mrs Hanson whittled the line-up down to the best of the best and then handed over the judging on evening to the 24/7 Youth Team: Sam Broughton, Hannah Cossey and Poiema Heine. A late change of MC saw Brock Hatton step into the role and he may well have been competing, with his jokes and very entertaining performance. While there were some issues with sound, performers handled it well and did not let it set them back. Sophie Kingi and Caitlin Knowles had such a polished performance that they carried on seamlessly when their music cut out mid-performance. Over the course of the night, we were treated to dance, jazz, vocal and acrobatics. Students were confident and looked amazing in their outfits. Maia Adams stunned with her acrobatics on silk suspended from the ceiling, causing gasps and a heartstopping moment as she finished with a breathtaking drop. This was something we had not seen before in this competition, and her Butterfly Dance was superb. While the judges deliberated, Darfield High staff, led by Mr Morris, performed a very entertaining version of “I Want to Break Free”. Overall, it was a superb night out and congratulations to all the performers for having the talent to get up on stage. Special thanks to Chris Martin, James Morris and Peter Cattell for sound and set-up, staff who were on duty backstage, and to 24/7 for their sponsorship and judging.

Clockwise from top right: Section winners; Staff; Brock and 24/7 Youth Judges, Sam, Poiema and Hannah; Jessica Galletly; Teresa Barnhill; and MC, Brock Hatton.

Results:

Runner Up Dance: Teresa Barnhill Best Dance: Caitlin Knowles and Sophie Kingi Runner Up Vocal: Kate Morris Best Vocal: Holly Kimber Best Group: Jazz Band Best Variety: Maia Adams Most Entertaining: Darfunk Rising Star: Teresa Barnhill Overall Runner Up: Caitlin Knowles and Sophie Kingi

Overall Winner: Maia Adams

23 October 2015

Online Examinations

Trialled in French and Science Photo album: http://darfield.school.nz/about-us/school-gallery/

Darfield High School is one of the 160 schools which opted to join the 2015 NZQA Pilot Programme for Online Assessments. These online practice examinations are NZQA’s first step on the journey towards NCEA assessment being online by 2020. NZQA developed two Online Practice Examinations (OPE) that students and teachers were invited to trial as practise for endof-year NCEA examinations. These two standards are French Level 1 Listening (90878) and Science Level 1 Mechanics (90940). Both OPEs were available through the Education Perfect digital platform. As part of the trial, teachers and students who took part were asked to provide NZQA with feedback. The lessons from these trial online examinations will inform NZQA’s understanding of the development and delivery of online examinations. The feedback obtained from teachers and students will be critical in informing the future development of other online examinations, and how best to manage them. Marjorie Juhel

DARFIELD HIGH SCHOOL 65th JUBILEE Saturday 27 February 2016 The school will be open for you to view from 2.00 pm to 4.00 pm. Drinks, nibbles and conversation: Darfield Recreation and Community Centre from 5.00 pm. Dinner: 7.00 pm (BYO with the dinner). Photos: 5.00 pm onwards. Cost: $60 per person. Register: at the High School on ph 03 318 8411, or ring Di at 03 318 8039, or on the school’s website at www.darfield. school.nz. LIKE us on Darfield High School Jubilee on Facebook. Spread the word. Issue 11 / DHS Dispatch

Become a Global Citizen! Have you ever considered experiencing a high school exchange where you get to live in a different country and get to know a different culture? With Your Education you can! You can try out different sports, live with a host family, and learn a new language, in a foreign country. Your Education is a New Zealand based and operated High School Exchange provider offering exchanges to 15 different destinations — English speaking and non-English speaking— specialising in a very personal service for students and families, with a focus on thorough preparation, to create a positive and memorable exchange experience! Two girls from Darfield High School are following their dream of becoming an exchange student. Natasha Young and Georgia Sutherland are heading to Europe on their exchange with Your Education very soon. Natasha, 15, is going on a short-term exchange with Your Education to Germany. She will be leaving New Zealand at the end of November to spend her summer holidays with a German host family and she will get to experience a white Christmas! She is already practising some German after school, which will benefit her exchange further, and give her the chance to quickly immerse in the culture. Georgia, 17, will spend a whole school year in France, living in the beautiful area of Vaucluse in the southeast of France, close to Avignon. But, before starting her exchange, she is going to participate in a four-week language course in Paris. Furthermore, Georgia is the lucky winner of Your Education’s 2016 scholarship where she was awarded a portion of her exchange programme fee. Your Education’s Regional Manager for the South Island is Anja Stork. Anja’s passion for cultural exchange 20

started when she participated in her high school exchange to Darfield High School from Germany in 2006. If you would like to learn more about the Your Education programmes, destinations and scholarships, you are invited to see Anja on Tuesday 27 October at interval after assembly. If you are keen to start planning your exchange for 2016, get your parents involved and come to the Your Education Information Meeting on Tuesday 27 October from 6–7 pm at Christchurch South Library. You can find brochures in the library and at the International Oﬃce with Ms Hely.

Georgia Sutherland

Natasha Young

Make sure to also visit our website, www.youreducation.co.nz, where you can read some of the great stories from students who have been on an exchange with Your Education and learn more about the programmes they offer. www.youreducation.co.nz Anja.Stork@youreducation.co.nz Anja and Mrs Staddon

Christchurch Information Meeting

On Tuesday the 27th of October 2015 from 6-‐7 pm.

Location:

Christchurch South Library 66 Colombo Street Christchurch

Come and learn about student exchange

All students, parents and teachers are welcome to come and learn more about our programmes.

www.youreducation.co.nz 23 October 2015

International Adventures During the recent school holidays, the International students participated in some fun activities, with many students trying things for the first time. During the first week, I took a group of students skiing to Porters. For our Brazilian students, it was their first time attempting to ski! They found it challenging, although some of them picked it up really well and, after a few hours, were riding up on the poma and skiing down confidently. The second activity later in the week was a day trip to Christchurch, where we went ice skating and then had free time at the Westfield shopping mall. During the next week, Colin Pander and I took 14 students away to Tekapo and Dunedin for a three-day trip. We were lucky enough to have fantastic weatherâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;it even made it to 28 degrees in Dunedin! This turned out to be an awesome day to do the Monarch Harbour Cruise where we saw the amazing albatrosses and some fur seals. We also conquered running up Baldwin St and enjoyed a Cadbury's Chocolate Factory tour. In Tekapo, we enjoyed the sights from Mt John, relaxed in the hot pools, and celebrated Pierce May's 16th birthday! There were many sightseeing stops along the journey, including Mt Somers, Peel Forest, the old Oamaru buildings, the Moeraki Boulders, the Maori stone drawings just out of Kurow, Omarama, and Lake Pukaki, with a stunning view of Mt Cook, and more! Sarah Rawson

Issue 11 / DHS Dispatch

School and Community Notices Term Dates Term 4: •

Monday 12 October–Thursday 10 December

•

Monday 26 October: Labour Day

•

Thursday 12 November: Staff Only Day

•

Friday 13 November: Canterbury Anniversary Show Day

TERM FOUR WEEK THREE Monday 26 October • Labour Day Wednesday 28 October • Primary School Triathlon Championships Thursday 29 October • Zonta Sports Awards Friday 30 October • Year 11 Rural College Practical Day

Street Talk Defensive Driving Course is an NZTA approved course. Complete this course and, instead of waiting 18 months from getting your restricted licence, you can sit your full licence in 12 months. Cost$170.00 Enrol online www.fusiontrust.co.nz

WEEK FOUR Friday 6 November • Last Day for Seniors •

NCEA and NZ Scholarship Exams Begin

WEEK FIVE Monday 9 November • Malvern Athletics Tuesday 10 November • BOT Meeting, 7.00 pm

November

Wednesday 11 November • NCEA Credit Cards Issued

Monday16, Wednesday 18, Wednesday 23, and Monday 25 November

•

6.00 pm–8.00pm: Upper Riccarton Memorial Library

December

6.00 pm–8.00pm: Upper Riccarton Memorial Library Monday 7, Wednesday 9, Monday 14, and Wednesday 16 December

Newsletter # 12

Thursday 12 November • Staff Only Day Friday 13 November • Canterbury Anniversary Show Day

January 2016

6.00 pm–8.00pm: Upper Riccarton Memorial Library Monday 18, Wednesday 20, Monday 25, and Wednesday 27 January Email: carolyn@fusiontrust.co.nz Text: 027 229 8018

Are you eager to create more habitat for our native birds and provide a better environment for our mudfish? Come along, have fun, and help your community by planting some native trees.

Saturday 24 October (this Saturday) 91 Cordy’s Road, Hororata 1.00pm Bring your spade and gloves Family and friends all welcome! (Ph 3180 880) 22

23 October 2015

2016 School Terms— Darﬁeld High School 27 January

Oﬃce Opens

1 February

Staff Only Day

2 February

Year 7 only

3 February

Whole School

Term One Monday 1 February to Friday 15 April

Term Two Monday 2 May to Friday 8 July

Contact Between Home and School We have found that up-to-date information is vital in case of an emergency but also for general day to day contact. Have you changed your address recently? Changed cell phones? Place of work? Or would you like to update/change the emergency contact for your student? Also the second parent address for reports being sent. If any of the above changes apply, please advise Jill, Student Administrator, by: phoning 318 8411/ext 3; emailing jill@darfield.school.nz or write it down and ask your student to deliver it to the Student Oﬃce

Term Three Monday 25 July to Friday 23 September

Term Four Monday 10 October to Friday 16 December (last day to be confirmed)

Remember: If your student is not at school, or arrives late, please contact the school to explain

2016 Public Holidays

School Uniforms

6 February

Waitangi Day

8 February

Waitangi Day observed

25 March

Good Friday

Darfield High School uniform items are available from The Warehouse Rolleston and the Uniform Shop here at school.

28 March

Easter Monday

29 March

Easter Tuesday (school holiday)

25 April

ANZAC Day

6 June

Queen’s Birthday

24 October

Labour Day

11 November

Canterbury Anniversary and Show Day

Volunteer Ambulance Officers for Darfield Station  

Do you have 6 – 12 hours free during the day/night? Ever thought about becoming an Ambulance Officer?

St John is recruiting for volunteers to join their Darfield team to provide an invaluable service to the community. Being a Volunteer Ambulance Officer is the opportunity to work in a stimulating environment, do rewarding work and a great way to ‘give back’ by contributing to the welfare of your local community. In return for your time St John offers you NZQA recognised training from New Zealand’s leading provider of pre-hospital emergency care. The role requires the Volunteer to be committed and motivated to respond as part of a skilled professional team. You will work alongside both paid and volunteer staff and interact with health professionals and people in your community. Prerequisites  A full NZ driver’s license for at least 12 months  Clean drivers and police checks  Computer literacy – as online study is part of our training requirement. For expression of interest please go to our website: https://join.stjohn.org.nz (Job code 23779) or to find out more, please contact: Jill Hill, Darfield Station Manager Email: jill.hill@stjohn.org.nz Ph. 027 2211178

Issue 11 / DHS Dispatch

Uniform Shop at Darfield High School Orders at Darfield High School are taken by appointment only, so contact Sue to arrange this. It is preferable parents refrain from coming to reception for uniform items from 8–9.30 am as this is a very busy time. If you have second hand uniform for sale and would like it to be added to the database, please email sue@ darfield.school.nz.

Uniform Shop Hours for Students Monday: 11.00 –11.25am Thursday: 11.00 –11.25am

Second Hand Uniforms Wanted There is a great demand for clean and tidy second hand uniforms as new students are enrolling for next year. If you have items you would like to sell or donate, please email elaine@darfield.school.nz, or sue@ darfield.school.nz with details: sizes, items, girl’s or boy’s, price, and your contact details. This information will be added to our database and if someone is looking for an item, we will pass on your contact details. Note: we do not keep second hand uniform at school. 23

Malvern Community Bus Do you need a ride somewhere, into Darfield or into Christchurch? Talk to us—the Malvern Community Vehicle Trust. We have a van for larger groups and a car for the one’s or two’s needing transport. A low fee will be charged to cover running costs. Please phone Kathy Stirrup: 3187077

Nutritiv Oils now have their own website!

http://nutritivoils.weebly.com/ Bookmark it today for all your skincare needs. Or you can ﬁnd them on Facebook.

Parents and Teens RESTRICTED DRIVERS’ TEST » Short on time? » Need prep help for smaller points that can often fail new drivers? Well known, local mum available until February 16 to give you the skills and conﬁdence you need to pass. I have taken three teens in the last eight months through Riccarton and Ashburton tests with 100% pass rate. Please phone or text Michelle on 027 226 0118 for more information

if you are interested in learning Tae Kwon Do 3:30 Tuesday , Gym 2 Enquiries to Mrs Hayakawa-Buist 24

23 October 2015

Tackling Technology growing up in a digital age Get the confidence and skills parents need to be proactive when tackling technology. Topics include text bullying, gadget addiction, online safety, sexting and electronic gaming.

Wednesday 11 November 7.00 pm Cost: $5.00 Venue to be confirmed RSVP to admin@darfield.school.nz by Friday 30 October attitude.org.nz | theparentingplace.com Attitude is the youth division at The Parenting Place

Diwali

Celebrating the Indian Culture Saturday 31 October Lincoln on the Green (behind the Lincoln Library) 4.30â&#x20AC;&#x201C;8.30pm This free event will include Indian food stalls where you can experience a range of Indian foods, curries, desserts and sweets. There will also be dance performances, traditional Indian clothing displays and crafts to participate in such as hand painting, diya lamp painting and rangoli design works. The Laboratory will also have light decorations and Indian themed food on offer. This is a great event for families and everyone is welcome. Issue 11 / DHS Dispatch

23 October 2015

Polo Have a Go Open Day

SUPA invites school students to come along and experience the exciting and fast growing game of Polo. Riding experience is not essential. Come and participate in a free stick and ball riding session and talk to other players and our friendly instructors.

Saturday 7th November 2.30 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 5.00 PM

Port Hills Polo Club Corner Wardstay & Gilmours Road. Only 5 Minutes from Tai Tapu Bring suitable footwear for riding and a helmet. (Boots with a heel - no sneakers or gumboots) Horses, gear , and instruction provided free of charge RSVP to Charlie Wood txt 0275 059 007 woodc4.cw@gmail.com or Ben Turner txt 0275 301 400 ben.turner@bayleys.co.nz